Red House Painters

Red House Painters were an anchor of the introspective sadcore movement of the ’90s. Led by the plaintive vocalist Mark Kozelek, the San Francisco group favoured quiet, acoustic-guitar-heavy fare (“Have You Forgotten”) and lush dream pop (“Grace Cathedral Park”). Red House Painters formed in the late ’80s when Kozelek teamed up with drummer Anthony Koutsos, guitarist Gorden Mack and bassist Jerry Vessel. The group signed to the seminal indie label 4AD and debuted in 1992 with the Down Colorful Hill EP, followed a year later by the slowcore-leaning Red House Painters I. In 1996, Red House Painters released Songs for a Blue Guitar, a critically acclaimed album brimming with sprawling, Neil Young-esque songs (including a slow-burning take on Wings’ “Silly Love Songs”) and piercing lyrics. In 2001, the band released one last album, Old Ramon, before splitting up officially. In the aftermath, Kozelek formed the more folk-driven Sun Kil Moon and also started releasing solo music under his own name.